HBO is debuting a replacement for Girls called I Love LA, and the reviews reveal what critics really think of the new comedy series. Girls starred Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath, who attempts to navigate life as a young adult with her friends in New York.
Airing for six seasons, Girls was billed as a new version of Sex and the City for the Millennial generation. Now Girls is being replaced by a brand-new series called I Love LA. Ahead of its November 2 premiere on HBO, the comedy currently has an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it one of the funniest shows of 2025 and praising Rachel Sennott for creating a show that will appeal to a wide audience.
Sennott is a comedian who has starred in I Used to Be Funny, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Bottoms, Saturday Night and The Idol. She was already on HBO's radar due to her recurring role in the canceled TV show The Idol, which starred Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd).
In 2024, HBO bought a pilot from Sennott, which she developed into I Love LA. The comedian is the star, writer, executive producer and creator of the series, similar to Dunham's multi-hyphenate role on the set of Girls.
I Love LA stars Sennott, Odessa A'zion, Jordan Firstman, True Whitaker and The Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson, with Moses Ingram and Lauren Holt in recurring roles. Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester and Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood are among the guest stars who will appear in the first season, which consists of eight episodes.
Based on its strong Rotten Tomatoes score, I Love LA is off to a great start, even before its premiere on HBO. Despite various criticisms across its six-season run, like a lack of diversity in the cast, Girls always received impressive scores on Rotten Tomatoes, and its current average is 89%.
HBO attempted to introduce a new take on Girls and Sex and the City with the Mindy Kaling-created Sex Lives of College Girls, but it was canceled after three seasons, despite fantastic reviews. Now the premium cable network is making another go at it with I Love LA.
Only time will tell if Sennott's show is a hit and lasts as long as Girls and Sex and the City, which were on the air for six seasons. Critics are loving I Love LA, and now viewers need to show up on Sunday night to do the same. I Love LA premieres Sunday, November 2 at 10:30 p.m. EST on HBO.
